Clarke caught in yet another lie

MTP transcript ^ | Mar 28, 2004 | Various

[mikegi]

From the Washington Post article on Clarke's SWORN testimony before the 9/11 commission:

"Under questioning by Republican members of the commission, Clarke, who said he voted Republican in 2000, rebutted charges by the White House that he was engaged in a partisan political attack."

From today's Meet the Press transcript:

MR. RUSSERT: And we're back. Did you vote for George Bush in 2000? MR. CLARKE: No, I did not. MR. RUSSERT: You voted for Al Gore. MR. CLARKE: Yes, I did.

[mikegi]

Clarke has been caught in another lie. Where is the media outrage at his deceptiveness???? I'm not holding my breath...

[mikegi]

Forgot the link to the WashPost article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20071-2004Mar24.html

[xJones]

This is like swatting a fly with a shovel. It does bother me that he was in such an important position for so long.

[Paul Atreides]

How long before he's given a job at the NYT?

[Mike Bates]

Under questioning by Republican members of the commission, Clarke, who said he voted Republican in 2000. . .

When I heard him say that, I just presumed he took a Repub ballot so he could vote for John McCain.

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[republicangel]

Geat observations.

I missed the end of the show this morning. Clarke did one good thing for me. He made me so angry I had to get on the elliptical machine before I exploded. First time I've been on it in a month.

[VOA]

It does bother me that he was in such an important position for so long.

In the book "Losing bin Laden", Clarke came off as about the only member of
Clinton's inner circle in favor of a strong response to the USS Cole near-sinking.

At this point, I can only think that Clarke must have even lied to the news reporter
about this...and maybe to himself as well.

[lowbridge]

bump

[Paul Atreides]

He'll probably say that he punched out the wrong chad.

[vbmoneyspender]

ping.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Ahmed Massoud, leader of the Afghan northern alliance was assassinated Sept 9, 2001, by suspected al Queda operatives. He supposedly had information on plans for the 9-11 attack and tried to warn the US earlier in 2001.

What did Clarke know about this and when did he know it?

Ahmed Shah Masood was aware of 9/11 attacks’ plan: CNN http://www.intellnet.org/news/2003/11/07/21477-1.html?PHPSESSID=5e8ac4cb58ca2c826edb0129ebeebc88

Ahmed Shah Masood was aware of 9/11 attacks’ plan: CNN

Friday November 07, 2003 (1515 PST)

ATLANTA, November 08 (Online): Slain Afghan leader Ahmed Shah Masood had some reports of 9/11 attacks and he wanted to inform the west about it, a US TV channel, CNN reported. According to the Pentagon’s Defence Intelligence Agency, assassinated Afghan opposition leader Ahmed Shah Masood had "limited knowledge" of a planned attack against the United States and was warning the West of the threat.

Northern Alliance leader Ahmed Shah Massoud was slain on September 9, 2001 by hiding a bomb in video camera. Two Tunisian al-Qaeda members impersonated as journalists killed Masood in a suicide attack. A Pentagon report got from the US national security archives said that Ahmed Shah Masood had got some information about the 9/11 attack through secret reports and he wanted to inform the US about it.

The cable, written in November 2001, was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the National Security Archive at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. It was based on an interview with a classified source and reads:

"Through Northern Alliance intelligence efforts, the late commander Massoud gained limited knowledge regarding the intentions of the Saudi millionaire, Osama bin Laden and his terrorist Organisation, al-Qaeda, to perform a terrorist act against the U S, on a scale larger than the 1998 bombing of the U S embassies in Kenya and Tanzania."

The heavily edited DIA document does not specify what it meant by "limited knowledge," and the portion that follows the reference is blacked out. It continues by referring to a speech Massoud gave to the European Parliament in April 2001 in which the cable says he "warned the US government" about bin Laden. Massoud was on a diplomatic trip to Europe seeking financial support for his cause from the EU and individual countries.

The DIA report points out that Massoud was not a military threat to al Qaeda, even though his forces were fighting the Taliban for control of Afghanistan.

"Our investigators did look into the matter during their recent travels [to Afghanistan] and spoke to persons who might have some knowledge about the subject," said a spokesman for the independent commission set up by Congress to investigate the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The cable says the two fake journalists, who were killed in the bomb blast, were al Qaeda operatives.

According to an article in Voice of Jihad, an online magazine the Middle East Media Research Institute says is associated with al Qaeda, the terrorist group claimed responsibility for Massoud’s assassination.

The story appeared last week in a translated version of the magazine on the Web site of the Washington-based nonprofit independent institute, which provides translations of Arabic, Farsi and Hebrew media reports and analyses of trends in the region.

The article quoted an interview with a bin Laden bodyguard after word reached bin Laden’s camp of Massoud’s death:

"I remember asking him, ‘What happened?’ And he replied by saying that Sheikh Osama [bin Laden] asked the brothers: ‘Who will take it upon himself to deal with Ahmad [Shah] Massoud for me, because he harmed Allah and his sons?’ A few brothers volunteered to assassinate Massoud and be rewarded by Allah, and you heard the good news."

Several Tunisian men were convicted in Belgium in September of supplying false documents that Massoud’s assassins used to help them travel to Afghanistan.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

"I voted for George W. Bush before I voted for Al Gore."

[vbmoneyspender]

Technically, his testimony wasn't a lie because he said he registered as a Republican in the Virginia primary in 2000. He was very careful to refrain from saying whom he voted for. This testimony on his part however was certainly very misleading and he clearly intended it to be so.

[js1138]

Ah, but you completely misunderstand the clintonian mind. Clarke DID vote Republican. He voted for McCain in the primary. Of course this means he voted against Bush nit once, but twice. But he did vote Republican.

[chiller]

Sorry, I won't register with those guys to read this article. Here's what RealClearPolitics said about it today.

Sunday on Meet the Press: Russert: Did you vote for George Bush in 2000?
Clarke: No I did not.
Russert: Did you vote for Al Gore?
Clarke: Yes I did.

Wednesday Before the 9/11 Commission: Clarke:
"Let me talk about partisanship here, since you raise it....Last time I had to declare my party loyalty, it was to vote in the Virginia primary for president of the United States in the year 2000. And I asked for a Republican ballot. "

RCP: Clarke's statement before the 9/11 Commission was designed to leave the impression that he voted Republican in the 2000 Presidential race (in other words for George Bush), thereby innoculating himself against charges of partisanship. It's now clear this was a clever semantic ploy intended to mislead the public - and the Commissioners as well.

[miltonim]

from www.realclearpolitics.com

Notable Quotes

Sunday on Meet the Press:
Russert: Did you vote for George Bush in 2000?
Clarke: No I did not.
Russert: Did you vote for Al Gore?
Clarke: Yes I did.
Wednesday Before the 9/11 Commission: Clarke: "Let me talk about partisanship here, since you raise it. I've been accused of being a member of John Kerry's campaign team several times this week, including by the White House. So let's just lay that one to bed. I'm not working for the Kerry campaign. Last time I had to declare my party loyalty, it was to vote in the Virginia primary for president of the United States in the year 2000. And I asked for a Republican ballot. "
RCP: Clarke's statement before the 9/11 Commission was designed to leave the impression that he voted Republican in the 2000 Presidential race (in other words for George Bush), thereby innoculating himself against charges of partisanship. It's now clear this was a clever semantic ploy intended to mislead the public - and the Commissioners as well.

"He's [Richard Clarke] taken advantage of the circumstances this week to promote himself and his book. I don't know the guy that well. I have had some dealings with him over the years, but judging based on what I've seen, I don't hold him in high regard."
- Vice President Dick Cheney

 

[Redcloak]

Get over it; it's only a lie about sex.

</sarcasm>

[deadhead]

"I voted for George W. Bush before I voted for Al Gore."

Exactly what I thought after reading this.

[leadpenny]

Good catch. I thought it was something he had said about the VA primary. He's still a slime ball.

[shield]

Why should this surprise any of us. The clintoons' are both such liars, clarke is just like them, and all the left. This is their way of life. When in doubt.....LY